geocaching • news • topics • events • places • pics • louisiana

Month: August 2017

Tell us a little about who you are and where you live.

My name is Paul Nagel and I currently live in Cypress Texas and back in January of 2013 while living in Natchitoches my wife and oldest daughter were on a Girl Scouts trip to Mississippi when one in the groups introduced geocaching to them. My wife came home and said, “Paul, I think you will like this game.” As a geographer and an outdoor enthusiast, she was correct.

Other than geocaching, what draws you to Louisiana?

I had lived in Natchitoches for eleven years and I still have family that we visit regularly in Many. Besides family, the Oops Louisiana Parish Challenge and Houma Geotour draws us to Louisiana.

Why did you decide to try geocaching?

Back in 2007, I was one of twenty teachers to be trained by Gary Lewis to be a trainer of Earthcaches. I signed up for geocaching and created Louisiana’s first Earthcache down in Lafayette. My friend David Faerber, of the Faerbers tried to get me involved between 2007 and 2013 when my wife and daughter became involved, but I was not interested.

Everyone has a Geocaching “big fish” story about the hunt that was much more than you expected at the start. What is yours?

In 2013, I was able to take my oldest – Sweet Thing on a trip of a lifetime to Palau, Guam, and Hawai’i. While in Palau I took her to Jelly Fish Lake (Jellyfish Lake – Ongeim’l Tketau – GC11A56). What an experience to step off the dock, climb up the hill and then swim with jellyfish. Sweet Thing liked it so much that we returned for the second time. I was not expecting her to enjoy it so much. I highly recommend going if you can.

What is your Geocaching EDC (Everyday carry)? What gear do you have to have with you?

LOL, trying to be convinced by David to take up geocaching and hearing his stories of printing cache descriptions and heading out with a GPS was not appealing. Of course now with smartphones it is so much easier. So a pen is the most important, followed by a charger.

What is the most memorable thing you’ve seen or found while caching?

Geocaching has been an amazing adventure. How about in Northeast Louisiana and the Louisiana State Cotton Museum and the cache in an outhouse (GC1CN8D) or Grand Isle State Park (GC25HRR), Port Fourchon (GC3187Y) and the oldest Oak tree in Florida (GCC9CA) or the Florida Keys (GC2C32). Geocaching has been an adventure and always finding something new or unique.

What cache is on your Bucket list?

I would like to find the APE cache in Washington State and visit Ground Speak some day.

Any other hobbies?

LOL, there are hobbies other than caching! I enjoy being outside, so I try to walk or run when I can. I try to find that cache in a park or along a trail to go and find.

Anything else you would like to say?

I would like to give a shout out to the Faerbers, DJPizza and my wife for encouraging me to go out and experience the adventure.